With Tripura facing severe fuel shortage, Chief Minister Manik Saha has urged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to expedite the resumption of goods train services through Jatinga in Assam's Dima Hasao district, an official said on Wednesday.
Goods train services to Tripura were snapped on April 26 after the derailment of a goods train at Jatinga, triggering a fuel crisis. The state government has already imposed restrictions on the sale of petrol and diesel to tide over the situation.
"In view of the fuel shortage in the state, Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday wrote to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, urging him to expedite the resumption of goods train services. The CM is personally monitoring the situation and is hopeful that services will resume in the next two to three days," the official at the CMO said.
State Transport Secretary UK Chakma said the North East Frontier Railway (NFR) has sought time till May 10 for the resumption of goods train services through Jatinga.
Additional Secretary of Food and Civil Supplies Department, Nirmal Adhikari, said oil tankers are supplying petrol and diesel to the state by road after the disruption in goods train services.
"We are able to procure only 40 per cent of the state's total daily requirement of fuel by oil tankers. Therefore, there will be a shortage of fuel till goods train services are resumed," he added.
